If you don’t know your chop from your mince and aren’t sure you have a knife that could accomplish either, then you need to meet Bonnie Bock. Her store, Someone’s in the Kitchen, is a Libertyville favorite—she was nominated by numerous readers for this issue—because of Bonnie’s willingness to share and help. “Food is fun,” […]
Gale Gand is royalty in the food world. She’s a successful cookbook author, Food Network personality and a rare female partner at a world-class restaurant. When President Hu of China recently came to Chicago, Mayor Daley asked Gale to cook dessert for the welcome dinner—she has the signed chef’s jacket as a souvenir. As […]
Before he became known for his barbecue sauce, Hecky Powell was the Executive Director of Neighbors at Work, a community economic development association in Evanston. But after years in social service, he felt he could do more for the community by giving local kids jobs and teaching them a trade. He bought the small restaurant […]
For Steve Schwartz, Heather Behm and Vince DiBattista, the two Ts in restaurant stand for team. Their trifecta of talents has made three restaurants successful in Evanston, and they’ve stayed on the pulse—if not one step ahead—of trends in the food world. “We have three sets of knowledge—that’s power,” Heather says. “Having a partnership is […]
State budget cuts have put Misericordia in a tight spot – and Gregg and Susan Hartemayer of Winnetka are out to do something about that. Their son Kirk, 25, has been a resident at this home for more than 600 children and adults with developmental disabilities for three years. “He’s got a wonderful life. He […]
The first thing John des Rosiers remembers cooking are pierogi. When he was seven, he started helping his Polish grandmother, and at Christmastime they would turn out thousands of the dumplings. By high school he had a part-time job at Gabriel’s Restaurant in Highwood. Even then, he says, “the school part meant less to me […]
Spend five minutes with Ron Bernardi and you’ll likely want to adopt him as your new favorite uncle. Ron radiates geniality, kindness and enthusiasm, all of which make him an excellent community liaison for the family-owned, community-centric company Sunset Foods. Ron loves serving the Rotary of Northbrook—where he’s been a member for 44 years, supporting […]
The 5th of our 6 children, John, is about to graduate from high school. His discussions with friends about their future plans are similar to those his older siblings had at this point in life, with one exception.
With gas prices pushing $5 a gallon in the Chicago area, Earth Day is a great time to start teaching your children the importance of conservation and care for the planet. Celebrated on April 22 this year, Earth Day began in the 1970s in Wisconsin as a simple “teach-in” day. By 1990, it was […]
When a family is in crisis, it’s the children who are most vulnerable. Maryville Crisis Nursery, located on Chicago’s northwest side, provides hope, a temporary home, and the resources to keep families together. According to Amy Kendall-Lynch, Program Director, a mother might call the Crisis Nursery hotline because she has four young children and one […]
